SUPER COOPER!

this week my son received a gift, a cape. it’s not just any cape. it was made for him by his babysitter. it has “SUPER COOPER” across the back and even has a hidden pouch for him to put his map in. he was immediately obsessed and put it on. i had to pack it in behind him in the car seat, extending the safety straps a little to make room. as soon as we got home he went running through the house in search for his sword. he was now able to conquer every bad guy. and in his heart and mind he was sure that he could fly! after finding his sword we just had to go outside so he could find the bad guys and show them he was…

SUPER COOPER!

words cannot truly express the scene as he made his exit from the house and off of the back deck, into the backyard…he had the sword held high in the air and off he went running across the deck. all that stood in front of him were two small steps down to the ground. but to show his great power, he decided to just fly and not bother using the steps. this ended in one of the most epic face plants i have ever seen. (only because i’ve never actually seen any of my classic wipe outs!)

i share all of that because it is a perfect picture of what life looks like when i put on my cape  and try to do life on my own strength and power…i end up in an epic face plant! (if you’re wondering, no i don’t really have  a cape!) but i do that. i try to do things on my own wisdom, strength, power, talent, ability… some of the time the tasks are so simple that i succeed and it feeds my ego. so then i try again with a greater task or a greater decision, only do find myself face down like…

SUPER COOPER!

this morning i could not sleep. so i got ready for the day and decided to do some extra studying. i found myself in jeremiah, chapter 17. this is what it says in verses 5-8 in the new living translation…

5 This is what the LORD says: “Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans,
who rely on human strength and turn their hearts away from the LORD. 6 They are like stunted shrubs in the desert,
with no hope for the future. They will live in the barren wilderness,
in an uninhabited salty land. 7 “But blessed are those who trust in the LORD
and have made the LORD their hope and confidence. 8 They are like trees planted along a riverbank,
with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat
or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit.

at first glance i didn’t see it, i didn’t make the connection. but then i read over it a couple more times. at first i thought that i just shouldn’t trust other people…that’s the probation officer in me. but as i read it again God made it clear that i was a “mere human” too! He was reminding me that i can’t rely on my own human strength…and He reminded me of my son and his cape!

the best part of this passage is contained in the last five words. if i trust in God, rely on Him, place my hope in Him, only have confidence in Him…i will be like the trees along the riverbank…”they never stop producing fruit“!

i want that! i want that just as bad as my son wants to be…

SUPER COOPER!

FYI – we went on to the swing set and that helped him fly much better. he liked flying so much i’m pretty sure i threw my arm out pushing him for so long.